County election officials say incumbent Democratic Legislature District 12 candidate Beth Kresge trailed challenging Republican Elisabeth Rankin in the Independence Party primary by just one vote on election night 19 to 18.  Three absentee ballots and one provisional affidavit ballot were opened with a count of 3 for Kresge and 1 vote for Rankin.  The final unofficial count for the primary election with the absentees and affidavit ballot added now stands at 21 votes for Kresge and 20 for Rankin.  Kresge now will be the Democratic, Independence and Working Families candidate and Rankin will be the Republican and Conservative candidate.

For the Green Party, Michael Sullivan expanded his one vote lead over and James Spann for Chautauqua County Family Court by picking up the sole Green Party absentee ballot received by the elections office in Mayville. Both candidates lost their major party primary bids.  However, the unofficial final Green party primary result now stands at Sullivan with 4 votes and Spann with 2 votes. As a result of the absentee ballot count, the November General election ballot for Family Court will find Jeffrey A. Piazza, Republican, Independence and Conservative; Sally A. Jaroszynski, Democratic; Sullivan, Green; and Spann, Working Families.

That from the Chautauqua County Board of Elections, which said Wednesday that the Independence Party primary for County Legislature District 12 and the countywide Green Party primary for Family Court Judge remain too close to call.  Election officials announced that absentee ballots for the two close races will be opened Tuesday Sept. 16 at 2 p.m.

In the Independence Party race for the District 12 legislature seat, Republican Elisabeth T. Rankin finished with 19 votes and incumbent Democratic Legislator Beth Kresge brought in 18 votes.  A total of 5 absentee ballots were issued for the race and 3 have so far been received by the Board of Elections in Mayville.  Rankin has already secured the Republican and Conservative lines for the Nov. 4 General Election and Kresge is assured of the Democratic and Working Families party lines.

For the Family Court Green Party candidacy, Republican Michael Sullivan and Democrat James Spann both lost their major party primary bids last night.  However, the Green Party primary result from Tuesday shows Sullivan with 3 votes and Spann with 2 votes.  A total of 2 Green Party absentees were mailed out in the race and 1 has been received back.  If the two candidates were to tie in the race, a failure to elect would be declared by the Board of Elections.

The four candidates for Chautauqua County Family Court Judge in the 2014 General Election will be (from left to right): Sally Jaroszynski (Democrat), Jeffrey Piazza (Republican, Conservative and Independence), James Spann Jr. (Working Families), and Michael Sullivan (Green Party).

JAMESTOWN – It appears that all four candidates for the recently created second Chautauqua County Family Court judge position will have their names on the ballot for the 2014 General Election.

Primary day 2014 saw contested races for six parties in the race for county court judge and each of the four candidates won at least one of the races.

In the Democratic Primary, Falconer’s Sally Jaroszynski defeated Westfield’s James J. Spann Jr. Jaroszynski had a strong showing, picking up over 60 percent of the vote.

In the Republican primary, Jamestown’s Jeffrey Piazza defeated Fredonia’s Michael Sullivan.  In that race, Piazza received 60 percent of the vote.

Piazza also won the Conservative and Independence Party lines. Meanwhile, Spann walked away from Primary Day with the Working Families Party endorsement while Sullivan will run on the Green Party line.

In the other local primary race, involving a special election for the Chautauqua County Legislature’s District 12 seat, Elisabeth Rankin won the Independence Party line vote in the narrowest of margins. Rankin picked up 19 votes while her opponent, current legislator Beth Kresge, picked up 18 votes. Rankin will also run on the Republican line while Kresge will serve have the Democratic and Working Familes endorsements.

Election day will take place on Nov. 4. For a complete list of all candidates appearing on Chautauqua County ballots for this year’s elections, visit voteChautauqua.com.

Highlighting this year’s primary is the race for governor and lieutenant governor for the Democratic party, with three candidates on the ballot for governor and two candidates on the ballot for lt. governor.

• COMPLETE LIST OF CANDIDATES ON THIS YEAR’S LOCAL BALLOTS

THREE VIE FOR DEMOCRATIC ENDORSEMENT IN GOVERNOR’S RACE

In the governor’s race, incumbent Andrew Cuomo (Kisco, NY) will facing upstart challenger Zephyr Teachout (Brooklyn, NY) and fellow challenger Randy Credico (New York, NY). Teachout is a Fordham University professor who’s garnered a lot of attention after winning a court decision that would allow her name to remain on the ballot following a challenge by Cuomo’s campaign. Credico is a Comedian and considered a long-shot candidate.

In the Democratic Primary race for Lt. Governor, Kathy Hochul of Erie County has been tapped to be governor’s Cuomo’s running mate, replacing current lt. Gov. Robert Duffy of Rochester, who announced earlier this year he would not be seeking a second term as lt. governor Hochul is running against fellow democrat and Teachout running mate Timothy Wu.

FAMILY COURT JUDGE RACES HIGHLIGHTS LOCAL PRIMARIES

In addition to the democratic primary for governor, there will also be six party primaries in the newly created office for a second Chautauqua County Family Court Judge. A total of four candidates will have their names on the ballot, with all of them vying for at least one of the six party endorsement.

In the Democratic Party primary for that office, Falconer attorney Sally Jaroszynski, who is currently Ellicott Town Justice, will be facing Westfield attorney James Spann Jr. – who currently serves as the Westfield town justice.

For the Republican Party, Jamestown attorney Jeffry Piazza will be running against Fredonia Mayor and attorney Michael Sullivan.

In addition, Piazza, Sullivan and Spann will be competing for the endorsement of the Conservative Party.

Both Spann and Sullivan are candidates for the Working Families Party.

For the Independence Party, Piazza, Spann and Sullivan are all running for endorsement.

And for the Green Party, Spann and Sullivan are running for endorsement.

DISTRICT 12 SPECIAL ELECTION TO FEATURE INDEPENDENCE PARTY PRIMARY

There is also a primary for Jamestown residents who live in district 12 for the Chautauqua County Legislature. That seat is having a special election in November, since current legislator and Democrat Beth Kresge was only appointed to the seat earlier this year. She’ll be facing Jamestown Republican Elisabeth Rankin in the November general election. However, both candidates are also vying for the Independence Party endorsement on primary day – meaning any registered members of the independence party that live in District 12 will have the opportunity to vote for one of the two.

Primary day is on Tuesday, Sept. 9. All Chautauqua County poll sites will be open from Noon to 9 p.m.  Voters can find their personal voter information at www.votechautauqua.com.

Lori Cornell

MAYVILLE – The Chautauqua County Independence Party has announced who it will be endorsing for the office of Chautauqua County Clerk.  Independence Party Chair Thom Shagla on Thursday said that his party is throwing its support for Lori Cornell (D-Jamestown) in her bid for the county clerk’s office.

Shagla pointed to Cornell’s non-partisan position on several issues, including the recent county legislature reapportionment process, as the reason why she would pick up his party’s endorsement.

Cornell is facing Larry Barmore (R-Gerry) in the race for the open seat, which is being vacated by long-time clerk Sandy Sopak, who announced earlier this year she was not going to seek another term in office.

In a media release from the Johnson campaign, Shagla said that the Independence Party executive committee was impressed with Ron’s wide range of experience and his non-partisan and independent ideas.

Shagla also said that Johnson’s experience as a county deputy sheriff, Pomfret town justice and business leader will give him the depth of knowledge needed to lead our county.

Johnson is Fredonia resident and is currently the owner/operator of Johnson Adult Homes in Fredonia, and was the lead developer of Fredonia Place.  He is facing Vince Horrigan (R-Bemus Point) in the November election.

Judge Ward received both the Independence and Conservative Party endorsements over his democratic opponent William Coughlin (D-Fredonia). According to the website votechautauqua.com, for the Independence Party nomination, Ward received almost 60 percent of the Independence Party votes and 80 percent of the Conservative votes. Judge Ward is seeking a third 10-year term behind the bench.

Meanwhile Goodell won 57 percent of the votes for the Independence Party nomination over his opponent, Democrat Rudy Mueller.

Complete results can be found at votechautauqua.com.

In the race for County Judge, Democratic County Legislator William Coughlin of Fredonia is challenging incumbent Republican County Judge John Ward, Jr. of Ashville for both the Independence and Conservative Party nominations.

In the race for State Assembly, Republican Assemblyman Andrew Goodell of Ellicott is facing off against former county legislator Rudy Mueller of Lakewood for the Independence Party nomination.

Republicans in the Town of Charlotte will be going to the polls to fill a highway superintendent vacancy for that town.  Mark G. LeBaron will be running against Michael A. Livermore.

There will also be nineteen Conservative Party primaries to choose election district level county committee representation.  There are to be only two committee members from each of the county’s 124 election districts.

The Board of Elections will be opening just one poll site for every town and city for the today’s primaries.  The consolidated list is available at votechautauqua.com. Contact the Board of Elections at 753-4580 for more information.

The Chautauqua County Board of Elections says County Legislator William Coughlin (D-Fredonia) is challenging incumbent County Judge John Ward, Jr. (R-Ashville) for both the Independence and Conservative Party nominations. In addition, Assemblyman Andrew Goodell (R-Ellicott) is facing off against former county legislator Rudy Mueller (D-Lakewood) for the Independence Party nomination.

There will also be a Republican Party Primary for voters in the Town of Charlotte to decide who will run for highway superintendant. There will also be nineteen Conservative Party primaries to choose election district level county committee representation. There are to be only two committee members from each of the county’s 124 election districts. 

The primary for all three parties will take place on Thursday, September 13.  That day, the Board of Elections will be opening just one poll site for every town and city in the county.

The general election is scheduled for Tuesday, November 6. For more information, contact the Board of Elections at 753-4580.

Tom Reed

CORNING – Congressman Tom Reed is back on three party lines for the November election. The congressman from Corning will be on the Independence Party line after the state Supreme Court ruled last week that Reed collected enough signatures. Reed — who previously claimed Ithaca Democrats were behind the challenges —   had 39 signatures invalidated by the state Board of Elections on May 3. With 39 invalid signatures, Reed was left with 752 valid signatures, 12 shy of the required number. But in his ruling issued last week, Judge Joseph Latham validated 19 of the previously dismissed signatures. He also noted, though, that the court was unable to determine whether the 19 signatures had previously been validated by the state BOE.

Reed, who is finishing his first term in Congress, is running in the newly created 23^rd congressional district, which now includes Chautauqua County. He will also be on the Republican and Conservative party lines. His challenger is Democrat Nate Shinagawa of Ithaca.  In addition to winning the democratic primary on Tuesday, Shinagawa has been endorsed by the Working Families Party. The general November election is scheduled for Nov. 6.